Defending against ‘slander,’ Cunningham says artists got their funds

On the Phone: Heather Cunningham

Cunningham has taken umbrage to the allegations made by Shyne because she says they are slanderous. According to the chairwoman, the twenty-five hundred dollars that has been earmarked for distribution to member artists is the sum of what has been collected in revenue between 2014 and 2016.

On the Phone: Heather Cunningham, Chairperson, BSCAP

“It is emotional because I spent a lot of time and energy without compensation I have used, I am a lawyer by trade so now this calls into question…it’s like I am paid over $150,000 to get my education and to know what I know and I have decided on my own accord to help the Belizean Artist, to help them understand how to navigate about his even the rights and the value of the rights. And to have somebody turn around and shout out or put out to the public that there is a mismanagement of funds, funds that we don’t even have! I think anybody in their right mind would get emotional because it’s like you are helping and you are giving all that you can; artist were able to hit me up at any time. If they have questions amount people using their music, I mean even outside the scope of BSCAP. They hit me up, I don’t have a problem helping out because I can. And now to have somebody turn around and say that I am…he is basically slandering my name. The amount that I got paid I think it is absolutely justifiable. It has been approved by the board, it is not like I took the money or pulled the figures out the sky, it’s not like I randomly did it myself. I was the C.E.O. at the time so it had to report to the board, the board is independent and they are the ones who say yay or nay. We already have all of that policies are in place so now, let’s talk about the sum of $2500 for distribution. Again that was based on the amount that was collected between 2014 -2016 now the real problem is we weren’t getting licensing fees. If businesses were to pay licensing fees then the artist will get more than the $2500. But you know what I think that everybody is overlooking the real issue. It is about how much I put down on the book, because me, my credential speaks for itself.”

Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.